Morimoto

Morimoto in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Karim Rashid, 2001

Karim Rashid is one of the few architects/designers to achieve celebrity status at a time when everybody tries to become a celebrity, witnessed in the popularity of reality TV and shows like "American Idol". But unlike contemporary Frank Gehry, who is in his seventh decade, Rashid is only 42, practicing in his own office for less than ten years. The former garnered popularity over many years only to see it erupt in his design for the Bilbao Guggenheim, while the latter's embrace of pop culture and digital technology has helped earn him the reputation as "the designer to watch".

While the success of reality TV and "American Idol" may point to lowered tastes of the masses, it more importantly is indicative of the public's grasp on the idea of celebrity, which has become something attainable to everybody, at least for 15 minutes or so. But when someone like Karim Rashid is brandished a celebrity, is it a good thing? A yes or no answer will not suffice, since it will be Rashid's staying power that will take precedence over his popularity, much like Gehry, though these two aspects are complexly intertwined, especially in the marketplace.

Rashid's ambition, his view that design is "everything we interface", is the key to his thinking that sets him apart from his peers. His design for the sushi restaurant Morimoto in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a perfect place to start looking at the physical results of his ambition. A small interior gives Rashid the opportunity to design almost all aspects of the diner's experience, from the tables and chairs to the walls, floors and ceilings. At Morimoto, the main feature is the bench seating that changes color between green, blue and pink, thereby making a static, physical environment morph via light.

Mentioned earlier, Rashid's willingness to embrace popular culture and digital technology is evident in many of his designs, and Morimoto is not an exception. Technology plays a role in making the multi-color seating work, while representing the morphological nature of the digital world. And pop culture pops up in the least likely of places: the chef himself. A minor celebrity in his own right, Masaharu Morimoto became famous for appearances on the Japanese TV show, "Iron Chef". Now the self-penned chef's name will rise in popularity as will Karim Rashid's with this trendy design.